Faith that Moves God
by Pastor John
Matthew 15:21-28
"And Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman came out from that region, and began to cry out, saying, 'Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.' But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, 'Send her away, for she is shouting out after us.' But He answered and said, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, 'Lord, help me!' And He answered and said, 'It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.' But she said, 'Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus answered and said to her, 'O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed at once."
She was not discouraged by the silence of Jesus.
"Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.' But He did not answer her a word."
We, too, have prayed and not heard from God on the subject. But it is not reason to be discouraged. "We should pray and not grow weary."
She was not discouraged by the criticism of others.
"And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, 'Send her away, for she is shouting out after us."
Job's friends and Job's wife ("Curse God and die."), could have caused Job to quit trusting in God. But Job would not stop trusting the Lord, who eventually restored everything to Job, and made him greater than ever.
She was not discouraged by any idea that God's blessings weren't meant for her and her daughter.
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Some say healing isn't for today, that it was just a sign for the first century. Some say miracles have ceased. But this Canaanite woman was not detered by any notion that Jesus' healing touch wasn't for her daughter. She just kept crying out to Jesus for help.
She was not discouraged by humbling words from the Lord.
"It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.
He called her and her daughter dogs.
But she did not get angry or discouraged. Rather, she agreed with Him, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Never dispute with the Lord.
Trust Him, pray to Him and obey Him.
May the Lord say to you, "your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish."
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